This invention relates to poured concrete walls, and more particularly, to a pouring window buck system and associated method for installing a window in a poured concrete wall.
In pouring walls of concrete such as residential basement walls, window openings are commonly formed in the concrete wall as it is being poured. In the past, it has been common to construct wood frames for window openings as a part of the wood wall forms for the concrete walls. After the poured concrete had set, the wood forms, including the wood window frames, were removed and at least the wood window frames had to be discarded. The cost of the wood window frames which are not reusable, and the labor required in building the frames were distinct disadvantages of this type of construction.
Another general method which has been used is a metal buck frame or surround which is positioned between the wall forms and cast in place in the concrete wall. When the wall forms are removed, the buck frame or surround is in place to form the periphery of the window opening. Unfortunately, these types of systems have been found to be subject to deformation during the pouring of the concrete. Additionally, cast in place buck frames or surrounds significantly increase the cost of a window installation because they are not reusable.
To avoid these disadvantages, various methods and systems have been proposed. For example, a reusable metal pouring window buck, which is positioned between the spaced wall forms, is one alternative. The bucks may be made in two parts or a single piece and when the concrete which has been poured around the buck has set, the buck is removed from the window opening formed in the resulting concrete wall. Typically, a window frame is detachably secured within the buck such that the window frame is cast in and remains in the window opening when the concrete sets and the buck is removed. Unfortunately, due to the heavy forces delivered by the concrete being poured around the buck, this method has proven, in many instances, to be unreliable to protect the window contained within the buck. In many instances, the window is damaged or broken during the pouring of the concrete requiring additional time, effort and expense in repairing or replacing the window cast in place in the poured concrete wall. Furthermore, vinyl window frames, while providing many advantages acknowledged in the industry are highly susceptible to being damaged during the pouring of the concrete wall in such systems.
Alternatively, the window buck may be constructed of more robust materials to withstand the forces generated by the pouring and curing of the concrete and avoid deformation to the window buck and window. However, such measures present significant installation and handling problems for the user since the more robust window buck is commonly much heavier and more difficult to manipulate. One such example of a robust and reusable window buck is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,884, assigned to the assignee of this invention. While the system and method shown in that patent has proven to be a dramatic advancement over known systems, improvements are still needed to minimize production costs and maximize ease of use of the window buck system for some applications.
Another alternative to the removable pouring buck and window frame combination is a removable pouring buck which allows a window to be installed into the window opening in the concrete wall after the buck has been removed. In the past, one disadvantage to such systems is the need for additional and often complicated or cumbersome fasteners to secure the window frame into the window opening. Typically, the window frame must be screwed, nailed, anchored or otherwise secured into the window opening with an additional fastener thereby requiring additional installation work, materials, tools and labor. Moreover, in many such systems, the window cannot be easily removed for cleaning, repair and/or replacement once installed in the window opening.
A shortcoming of many known systems for installing windows in poured concrete walls is the inability to provide an accurate and stable positioning for the pouring buck, frame or the like between the spaced wall forms. This is very important because the position and orientation of the pouring buck is the resulting position and orientation of the window in the poured concrete wall. In the past, one method to maintain the position of the pouring buck between the wall forms has been to sandwich the buck between the spaced wall forms and rely upon the compressive force between the wall forms to hold the buck in position. However, the heavy forces of the concrete being poured around the buck has proven to be unsettling to the buck and this method is therefore unreliable for accurately and consistently maintaining the proper position and orientation of the buck between the wall forms.
Nails may be driven through wood wall forms and into wood portions of the pouring buck or wood window frames to position them relative to the wall forms. However, the nails must be pulled out prior to disassembling the wall forms which is time consuming and potentially damaging to the wall forms. Furthermore, this technique is only practical for use with wood wall forms and window frames.
Therefore, there exists a need for an improved system and method for forming a window opening in a poured concrete wall and installing the window in that opening. The system and method should be economical, efficient and robust to withstand the forces of the poured concrete while allowing for the accurate and reliable positioning of the window in the poured concrete wall. Furthermore, the system and method must be applicable for a wide variety of window styles, sizes and materials while providing for easy installation, removal and manipulation.
These and other objectives of the invention have been attained by a system and associated method for forming a window opening in a poured concrete wall and installing the window and associated frame into the opening. The components of the system include a reusable window buck which is adapted for placement between spaced wall forms to divert poured concrete around the window buck to form the window opening in the concrete wall. Advantageously, the window buck is reusable after being removed from the concrete wall.
According to presently preferred embodiments, the window buck is a two-piece component including a mold nested with a generally rectangular frame. The mold in one embodiment is generally rectangular and roto-molded with an extension which telescopically fits within the preferably aluminum frame. In another embodiment the mold is aluminum and extends along only a portion of the frame, for example along the bottom or sill portion of the frame. With the mold extending only along one edge of the frame, a wide variety of sizes of window openings can be formed with the same mold and appropriately sized frames. As such, a contractor""s cost and inventory are minimized while still offering options for window sizes.
The frame and mold are removable in opposite directions from the poured concrete wall. The window buck advantageously forms a raised ledge along a sill of the window opening proximate an interior side of the poured concrete wall to inhibit water from flowing through the window opening toward the interior side of the poured concrete wall. The raised ledge is positioned against an inner face of the window frame or window. Moreover, the window buck forms a protruding rim along a jamb at each side of the window opening against which an outer face of the window or window frame is positioned when installed in the window opening.
A component of the system according to a presently preferred embodiment of this invention is a retainer coupled to the window buck while the concrete is being poured so that the retainer is preferably partially embedded in the concrete wall proximate the window opening. The retainer preferably includes two frangible members which couple the retainer to the window buck so that upon removal of the window buck from the window opening the frangible members are broken leaving the remainder of the retainer embedded in the concrete wall. The frangible members are seated within holes in the window buck and retained there during installation and subsequent pouring of the concrete.
The retainer in a presently preferred form includes a socket which is exposed when the retainer is embedded in the concrete wall and is located along a side edge of the window opening. A window or window frame is easily snapped into the window opening and retained therein by a spring clip or other device mounted on a side edge of the window frame or window. The spring clip temporarily deflects inwardly while the window or frame is being installed until the clip is seated within the socket of the embedded retainer. Accordingly, the installation of the window or window frame is easily accomplished without tools or additional fasteners such as nails, screws or the like.
The window buck and retainer are accurately and robustly mounted between the wall forms by suspension members which in a first presently preferred embodiment is a pair of elongate bars inserted through associated sleeves in the frame of the window buck. When inserted in the sleeves, the bars project outwardly from the window buck to rest along a top edge of the wall forms. Preferably the window bucks include a plurality of sleeves at different positions so that a user may select the appropriate sleeve for the position of the window buck and resulting window opening in the poured concrete wall.
If a lintel is formed in the poured concrete wall, a second presently preferred embodiment of the suspension member is used and includes a lintel drop projecting downwardly from the bar. A terminal end of the lintel drop includes a key which mates with a keyhole slot in the window buck to selectively couple the window buck to the suspension member bar. Alternatively, the window buck frame in another embodiment includes a number of channel shaped suspension members coupled to the ties which extend between the spaced wall forms. As such, the window buck is suspended on the ties for accurate positioning between the spaced wall forms.
With the system and associated method according to this invention, a window opening is reliably formed in the desired location in a poured concrete wall without damaging a reusable, lightweight and robust window buck. Moreover, a window is efficiently and conveniently installed in the window opening without the need for tools or additional fasteners in an easy, efficient and economical manner.